More than 60 people are believed to have died after an American Airlines regional passenger jet collided with a US army helicopter

• Washington DC plane crash – latest updates
• First confirmed victims include figure skating champions

An American Airlines jet with 60 passengers and four crew members onboard collided with an army helicopter carrying three soldiers while landing at Reagan National airport in Washington DC on Wednesday evening.

More than 30 bodies reportedly recovered so far after American Airlines flight collides in midair with Black Hawk helicopter

• Washington DC plane crash – latest updates

Rescuers are scouring the Potomac River in Washington DC after an American Airlines jet carrying 64 people – 60 passengers and four crew members – collided with a US army Black Hawk helicopter with three soldiers onboard while attempting to land at Reagan national airport.

All takeoffs and landings from the airport near the capital were halted as helicopters from law enforcement agencies across the region flew over the scene in search of survivors. According to media reports, rescuers have recovered more than 30 bodies from the river so far, while divers have found one of the plane’s two data recorders, known as black boxes.